Chat Room on Christmas Day-2007/ Now 2009

[Bruce Monkhouse]

I'm normally not a 'chatter' but I'm working 0630 until 1830 on Christmas Day so I plan on being in there during that time thinking that those of you whom are also away from your loved ones, might have a place to at least 'talk' to others in the same boat and share some comradeship.

Bruce

 

[Nfld Sapper]

That sucks Bruce, but hopfully you are getting double time for it.

I might drop in to say hi

:cheers:

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Double time and a bit more. :-[

No, it doesn't really suck...I plan on getting the girls up at 0400 and spending over an hour doing the gift thingy.
To me, "really sucks" is not being able to be there at all,.....and I know there will be enough of that to go around.

 

[Roy Harding]

We don't know yet (scheduling at my wife's work leaves a LOT to be desired - don't get me started), but we strongly suspect that Wendy will be working that day.  And that's OK with us.

That will, of course, leave me alone with the dog, the cats, the Rye, and the computer - heaven alone knows what might happen.

I'm not usually a denizen of the Chat Room (I just don't have the multi-tasking mind required for it, as far as I can figure) - but I'll be sure to pop in and say hello to you, Bruce.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Double time and a bit more. :-[

No, it doesn't really suck...I plan on getting the girls up at 0400 and spending over an hour doing the gift thingy.
To me, "really sucks" is not being able to be there at all,.....and I know there will be enough of that to go around.

Well I see your cloud does have a silver lining.  

 

[Nfld Sapper]

We don't know yet (scheduling at my wife's work leaves a LOT to be desired - don't get me started), but we strongly suspect that Wendy will be working that day.  And that's OK with us.

That will, of course, leave me alone with the dog, the cats, the Rye, and the computer - heaven alone knows what might happen.

I'm not usually a denizen of the Chat Room (I just don't have the multi-tasking mind required for it, as far as I can figure) - but I'll be sure to pop in and say hello to you, Bruce.

Now there's a bad combination    ;D

:cheers:

 

[navymich]

Weren't you working last XMas too, Bruce?  I thought I remembered you mentioning something at our Guelph meet last year about getting your girls up early.

 

[Roy Harding]

Now there's a bad combination    ;D

:cheers:

Depends upon your perspective, I guess. 

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Weren't you working last XMas too, Bruce?  I thought I remembered you mentioning something at our Guelph meet last year about getting your girls up early.

Yup, my schedule has this quirk in it that it changes forward or back one day every year.....hopefully next year the extra day [Feb 29] pushes it away 2 days. Haven't checked yet...............

 

[Mike Baker]

I'll be in to say hi and wish those there a Merry Christmas as well.

 

[medaid]

I'll pop in to keep you company Bruce that is if you want to chat with the likes of me on Christmas morning

 

[visitor]

Is it  possible to  be  on  leave and  simultaneously be the assisting officer to a family?  Seems like if it is not possible  to go visit family at  Christmastime, and one is busy with obligations,  it should not be counted as leave time.  Comments?

 

[Haggis]

Is it  possible to  be  on  leave and  simultaneously be the assisting officer to a family?   Seems like if it is not possible  to go visit family at  Christmastime, and one is busy with obligations,  it should not be counted as leave time.  Comments?

In order to be on leave, you must have submitted a CF100 (Leave Request/Authorization, the "leave pass") and had it approved by your chain of command.  No leave pass = no leave since this is the document that authorizes the RMS world to debit your leave balance in HRMS.

There are provisions under QR&O 16.01 for "Witholding and Recall From Leave":

1) Leave may be withheld from an officer or non-commissioned member only when there is a military requirement to do so.
   
(2) An officer or non-commissioned member on leave may be recalled to duty only:
   
  (a) because of imperative military requirements; and
   
  (b) when the member’s commanding officer personally directs the recall.
   
(3) An officer or non-commissioned member recalled to duty under paragraph (2) ceases to be on leave and is on duty during the period of the journey from the place from which he is recalled to his place of duty and during the period of the return journey if he resumes leave immediately after completion of the duty for which he was recalled.

If you are on leave and the family that you are assisting officer for has an urgent requitement for your services, then contact your C of C for direction on how to proceeed and document everything.

Bruce:  I've worked losts of Christmases, both day and night shift.  Both suck, but the family has aways made the best of it.  Seems like you have a plan for this.  Good luck and I'll drop by "Chat" on the 25th for a virtual egg nog with ya!

 

[George Wallace]

Is it  possible to  be  on  leave and  simultaneously be the assisting officer to a family?   Seems like if it is not possible  to go visit family at  Christmastime, and one is busy with obligations,  it should not be counted as leave time.  Comments?

As Reindeer Meatloaf stated.  The person should see their OR and fill out the forms to have their Leave "returned".  It is not too uncommon a fact in the military over long periods of Leave, such as the Christmas Block Leave Period.  The person will have their Leave adjusted and then credited to take later.

 

[PMedMoe]

As Reindeer Meatloaf stated.  The person should see their OR and fill out the forms to have their Leave "returned". 

Only if he actually gets called in for something.  I am on call until the 26th but my leave starts tomorrow.  Because I have to carry a cell phone everywhere, does that mean I'm not actually on leave?

Bruce, I don't normally do the chat thing, but I'll probably pop in too.  After all, I think the hubby and I only have 2-3 presents to open.  That won't take long! 

 

[armyvern]

Is it  possible to  be  on  leave and  simultaneously be the assisting officer to a family?   Seems like if it is not possible  to go visit family at  Christmastime, and one is busy with obligations,  it should not be counted as leave time.  Comments?

It just so happens that I begin duty here tomorrow in the aspect above. I'm on Duty until the 28th. I'm on "standby". I don't have to report to work, but await a call should an Assiting Officer be required (God forbid).

I am on leave until 06 Jan 08. I have a leave pass. I'm still on duty, but I am at home. If I should get called in, the leave pass would be re-visited -- not that I personally would opt for that. I figure that for the 6 days it's costing me in actual leave for the whole 3 weeks off -- I've got nothing to complain about. The short days and the stats that are included on my leave pass cover my 7 days of "stand by" -- ergo really I feel that I'd loose nothing should I be called in, ESPECIALLY as an Assisting Officer. There are some things that just need to be looked after over the Holidays. Better me be on standby, sitting in my home drinking Timmies, than one of my cohorts be required to stay within the area to cover the duty period when they wanted to travel outside the 100km radius to see family and remain there overnight.

I'll head to NS on the 29th. Day trip. Someone's got to cover the Duty period -- someone else's family may need us.

The addy on my leave pass is my home addy ... and I suspect that is the addy on yours as well. THAT signifies that you were "remaining in the area" -- ergo why could you NOT be on standby? If your original plan had been to travel outside of the area at such a distance that you could not return immediately if called in -- your leave pass should have indicated such, and which would have signalled your CoC to NOT place you on the Duty.

Your CoC also has the option of placing you on the Duty anyway for a set time period ... thus preventing your travel outside of the area, but still not preventing you from relaxing at home on leave during that period. IF, and that's a big IF, you get called in ... your leave stats would be amended to reflect that. This is not an unusal occurance in the CF. There are many precedents of personnel being officially "on leave via CF100" who are prevented from travelling outside of the area to visit family due to their Units being on 12hr NTM etc. Telling you that you can't travel any great distance while on leave is not denial of leave.

 

[muffin]

I might stop in and say hello. 
The kids and I are heading to my parents Christmas day... but I will definatly be online at some point. I am hoping hubby has a few moments to jump on thje webcam and see the kiddies open their presents.

This is their first Xmas with him away... so it's bound to have it's ups and downs.

muffin

 

[visitor]

So, it does sound feasible to be "on call" and not be able to leave the area and still use up your 3 weeks of leave time for only a few hours work now and then or not at all.    Bummer,  if your family and friends are across the country and you hoped to be home for the holidays. It's not so much that it is Christmas, but that  it is 3 weeks of vacation time planned to visit family gone.  We  cannot visit our soldier because at our end,  one of us is also on-call for a hospital. No drinking or traveling allowed.  Also no pay received if not called in or all the work is done over the phone, even if  the calls come in the middle of the  night.  Ho Ho Ho, indeed.

Sorry if I am a bit bummed out...  At least police, bus drivers,  nurses, etc. get holiday pay, which is recognition that they and their families are sacrificing their personal lives for the good of society.  And they are Off after their shift.  Maybe I will find a soup kitchen to volunteer  for  for Christmas, but then I would not be around  if the other is not called in.  No can do.  How many days to Ground Hog Day?

 

[George Wallace]

So, it does sound feasible to be "on call" and not be able to leave the area and still use up your 3 weeks of leave time for only a few hours work now and then or not at all.    Bummer,  if your family and friends are across the country and you hoped to be home for the holidays. It's not so much that it is Christmas, but that  it is 3 weeks of vacation time planned to visit family gone.   We  cannot visit our soldier because at our end,  one of us is also on-call for a hospital. No drinking or traveling allowed.  Also no pay received if not called in or all the work is done over the phone, even if  the calls come in the middle of the  night.  Ho Ho Ho, indeed.

Sorry if I am a bit bummed out...   At least police, bus drivers,  nurses, etc. get holiday pay, which is recognition that they and their families are sacrificing their personal lives for the good of society.  And they are Off after their shift.  Maybe I will find a soup kitchen to volunteer  for  for Christmas, but then I would not be around  if the other is not called in.  No can do.   How many days to Ground Hog Day?

???

What do you mean by "Bummer,  if your family and friends are across the country and you hoped to be home for the holidays."?  Seems you are laying undue blame on the military for 'someone's' not putting in a "proper Leave Pass".

Then you go on to state that you can't leave your location because you are "On Call".  Excuse me, but why should someone else's being On Call be such a wrong thing to happen, when you yourself are On Call?

Next you go on about "At least police, bus drivers,  nurses, etc. get holiday pay, which is recognition that they and their families are sacrificing their personal lives for the good of society.  And they are Off after their shift."  First off, what does working a shift have to do with being on Call?  Second, members of the CF are fairly well compensated for their work.  If you don't think they are, like the police, bus drivers, nurses, etc. then perhaps in the next election you can do something to improve that.  CF wages are not dictated by the CF or DND, but by Treasury Board after the three major Civil Service Unions have all ratified their contracts.  It is in the end a Union thing.

I see from what I have read so far, you really don't have a clear picture of all this.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

 We  cannot visit our soldier because at our end,  one of us is also on-call for a hospital. No drinking or traveling allowed.  Also no pay received if not called in or all the work is done over the phone, even if  the calls come in the middle of the  night. 

No need to be sorry, it is a bummer, but,with all due respect..........................are you out of your minds?


...and I'm sure there are lots of RCMP officers spread around the country whom may disagree with your thoughts that "police" get to go home to thier loved ones after shift.